A new friend shared a little known fact about shopping at Costco. Members can purchase Costco cash cards and give them to non-members. Recipients can get a free one-day membership to use the cash card on gas or warehouse items. The cards are also good online.
Cash cards make great gifts and they are useful for employees, students living away from home, and friends who are dying to buy 20 pounds of strawberries.
Costco’s page on cash cards lacks details but it may be possible for the recipient to re-load a card as long as they leave some money on it. It also looks like recipients can buy goods for more than the card is worth as long as they can pay for the remainder in cash.
It is unclear if a non-member who receives a Costco cash card is limited to a certain number of uses per year. I suppose if they start recognizing you, you’ll need to pony up $50 and get a membership. Otherwise, the usage guidelines are somewhat open to interpretation.
Thanks, Kim!
August 25th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Non-Members can also shop at Costco everyday/any day for use of their Pharmacy, Alcohol and Photo department’s. A membership is not required to shop in those departments. Cool huh – I recently learn this from their membership counter.
August 25th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
I thought this exception was only for the pharmacy in California. Good to know to I can also buy booze and pictures!
August 25th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Right you can load up on booze from Costco, take pictures of the event and have Costco develop the pictures. It’s a true win-win. Tee-hee.
August 25th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
don’t forget though that non-members must pay an additional 5% on everything they buy except prescriptions.
August 25th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Ah, therein lies the rub.
August 25th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
I’m pretty sure that you can shop on Costco.com without being a member as well. I got a great deal on an 1080p TV on Costco.com a few years back with free shipping and am not a member.
August 25th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
I have a shared membership so cut that $50 cost in half. My friend has a different last names, address, etc and it’s no problem.